The invention relates to an arrangement which comprises electrical elements which may be sensors or light-emitting units. Arrangements of this kind are used, for example, in image acquisition systems such as X-ray examination systems or optical systems (cameras, photographic equipment) as well as in imaging systems (monitors, projectors).
In conventional two-dimensional arrangements of electrical elements, for example, sensors, the individual sensors are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. The outputs of all sensor elements of a column are connected to a respective column read-out lead. After prior excitation of the sensors, the sensor elements of a row are simultaneously activated and all rows are sequentially activated in order to read out the arrangement. This read-out concept can also be applied to sub-zones of such an arrangement in further embodiments. For example, not all sensors of a column are connected to a common output lead, but the outputs of the sensors of each time the upper half and the lower half of a column are connected to a common read-out lead. As a result, two rows can be simultaneously activated, that is, each time one row from the upper half of the matrix and one from the lower half of the matrix.
The large number of line drivers for the control leads constitutes a drawback of such an arrangement. For example, a medium-sized sensor matrix with, for example, 1024 rows and 1024 columns, requires 1024 line drivers.
A one-dimensional photoelectric line sensor is known from Offenlegungsschrift DE3804200A1; the sensors therein are arranged in a line and generate a respective signal which can be applied to a read-out line, used in common by all sensors, by applying a control signal to the relevant sensor control input. With each sensor there is associated a binary decoder which is arranged to evaluate the signals of a digital address bus and to activate the relevant sensor when a specific signal combination is present on the bus.